Took a long time to make the decision, but finally decided to rip down the old barn which was originally just the lean-to for an approximately 80' x 50' barn that burnt down before we moved in.  The barn I tore down was 56' x 23', but the two ends were a little smaller.  I felt bad tearing it down at first, but it wasn't long before I knew I made the right decision.  Many of the main supports were eaten very badly by termites, some even fell apart when I touched them.  Also, not a single post was in the ground.  Even the main timbers were just sitting on flat rocks that were dug out of the fields.

Demo time didn't leave me with much time to prep the site before Conestoga Buildings came to build the new pole barn.  But luckily you can do the grading and fill after the barn is built with a pole barn.  The new pole barn is 60' x 30'.  One end was off grade by about 2' when the building was completed.  I filled it using chunks of concrete from the two pads that I ripped up from the old red barn and fill dirt .

Sam Taylor and Sons came in to finish it for me, which required grading, concrete, and asphalt.  The property slopes and at first we thought we may have to put a curb on the left end of the building to divert the water around it, but some grading was all it took to get the water away from the building.  The concrete floor is approximately 4.5", 4000 psi, with fiberglass reinforcement.  Its about 6.5-8" thick where the two post lift is.  Trowel machines were run all day long and the floor is the smoothest I've ever seen.  There is a 4' concrete apron on the front of the building and around to the door I have on the side.  I sealed the floor with Vocomp 20.

Old Red Barn

Part of a concrete pad from the huge barn that burnt down.	Old red barn.	Chicken house to the right.	Old red barn.	Old red barn.
Workshop cleaned out.	Old red barn.	Old red barn.	Old red barn.	Old red barn.
Old red barn.	Old red barn.	Workshop	Corn Crib	Chicken house.

Demolition of Red Barn

Chicken house down.	Shop/Storage area down.
	Not a single pole was in the ground on this barn. It was just resting on the surface.

New Pole Barn Construction

Footers dug.	Footers dug.	Materials pile.	Framing started.
		Framing of roof started.
	Starting to close it up.
			Building complete.

Grading, Concrete, and Asphalt

Grading started.	Grading started.	Footers for two post lift.	Forms for concrete apron.	Concrete floor.
Concrete floor.	Concrete floor.	Concrete apron.	Concrete complete.	Concrete complete.

Exterior Lights, Interior, Rotary Two-Post Lift

Exterior Lights	Exterior Lights	Exterior Lights	Interior (Still needs benches, cabinets, and a good cleaning!)	Interior (Still needs benches, cabinets, and a good cleaning!)
The lineup!	The lineup!	Rotary Lift Installed	Rotary Lift	Rotary Two-Post Lift - 10,000 lb, Asymmetrical, Three-Stage Front Arms
Rotary Asymetrical Lift	Surprisingly the first car to test the lift!!	Vette on the lift. Have to modify the middle truss to get another foot and be able to take my truck all the way up.		First workbench built. Just the basics for now!
Finally picked up a miter saw. DeWalt 12" Sliding.